The Irish standard., 1887-03-26
HIS HONOR THE JUDGE.

The Terrible Deed Committed by Him
| While In q Somna mbulistic Trance.
The case Of the State VS.. John I.uff wa.
the sensation Of the day when / landed in
Silverton.
My visit to this rough mining town was
matter OF business, and I was somewhat
annoyed to find that the people were in.
clined, to talk Of nothing but the killing OF
Henry Saxon and the trial OF his murderer.
But the story Of the crime interested me
In spite of myself. The murder had oc-
Cured in the Metropolitan Hotel, the very
| house iii which I had engaged room for q
week.
| The scene Of the killing was the room next
| to mine. Several days before my arrival
| the room was occupied by John Lutf and
! Henry Saxon, two well-known sporting
! men, who had been making Silverton
| their headquarters during the winter. The
| two were chums, but sometimes they quar-
relied in their cups, and it was no uncom-
| mon thing for them to fight. After adj
lusting their differences, however, they
generally tunlbled into the same bed and
slept like brothers. Their last quarrel had
a fatal termination. After g. bout with
their fists in the hotel Office they retired to
their room. Later in the night a loud shout
caused several of the guests to rush in and
they saw a spectacle that froze their blood.
On the bed was stretched the lifeless form
OF Saxon, with a crimson current running
from his breast. By mis- side stood Lutf,
one hand still bloody, and his manner be-
traying ungovernable fear and excitement.
The Silverton miners and tradesmen
were not long i'll coming to @ conclusion
The coroner's jury made it out q case Of
wlful murder, and fastened the guilt upon
LuH. It was in vain that Luf expressed
his horror. He declared that some one had
entered the room. Awakened by a noise,
he placed his hand on Saxon and felt the
warm blood flowing from his wound.
Springing to his feet he turned on the
light, and when he saw his dripping hand
and the dead body of his friend he gave
frenzied cry for help.
OF course, nobody believed his story. To
make the matter worse, a small dagger be-
longing to LUff was missing; from its usual
place on the mantle. 1t was only TOO evil
dent that the murderer had stabbed his
friend TO the heart with his weapon, and
then had concealed it. The room WAS
searched, but the dagger coulo not be
found. Doubtless Luff had thrown it into
the street, where it had been picked up by
sonle unknown person.
IISIc IL 4lIGlc uCttty dUVlu iIQnblSL JUST
ice when victim is wanted aud in this
instance the whole town clamoreC for one.
Court was in session, and Judge Pike
shared the general excitement. He was
one OF the guests at the Metropolitan, and
the fact that his room was opposite the one
in which the murder was committed uat-
nrally increased his interest in the case.
With Judge Pike on the bench there was
little doubt concerning the result An in
dictment was found in no time, and the
trial opened on the second day of my stay
in Silverton.
Ihe defendants attorneys worked for
delay. They hoped that protracted trial
would have tho effect of cooling the hot
excitement Of the hour.
l spent the first day Of the trial in the
court house, and watched the defendant
closely. Luff had rather good face. 1t
was weak, but not vicious, and, as studied
him, l found myself synlpathizing with
him.
That night had a singular experience.
After supper I spent compile of hours in
Judge Fixes room, and it did not take one
long to come to the conclusion that his
Honor was peculiar man. There was
wrong about him. He could not
b. called crank, but his nerves were evil
IDENTIFY out Of order, and it occurred to me
shat he was liable to break down at any
time.
1t was past midnight when l awoke. The
st,eamed into my room, making
every object in it plainly visible. Feeling
thirsty, lett my bed and went behind a
little screen in the corner of the room
where the washstand stood, to geta drink
Of water. While I was there J. heard the
door open softly. This was notsurprising,
as the hotel was a rude affair, and very
few Of the doors were provided with locks
and keys. The thought of Saxon's fate
made me little timid, and remained
quietly behind the screen awaiting further |
developments.
To my unGtterable astonishLaent, who |
should enter the door but Judge Pike
My first impulse was to speak, but what |
saw silenced me. The Judge was in his
night clothes. One look at his face con-
Finced me that he was asleep. In his right |
hand he carried dagger
What was | to do with this somn a1nbu-
list! 1t would be dangerous to awaken
him. decided to wait and watch.
With stealthy steps the judge advanced
10 the side Of the bed. he felt cautiously |
with his left hand until he felt bunch in
the covering, and then, with the rapidity
~ lit uiOVc us udSSG. !ulC tUG
oed-clothes up to the hilt. He didnot tarry
! second, but quietly vanished from the
'oom, closing the door after him.
AS soon as could barricaded the door
With several pieces of furniture. Then
;at down to think the matter over
If the Judge was a somnambulist, there
vas no telling what he might do. Worse
han that, there was no telling what he had
already done.
thought of the Lur case. Could it he
possible that Judge Pike in one of his
fits, had killed Saxon7 It
ooked very much like it. And the dag
'er? Perhaps it was Luff's missing
Weapon.
81 will make this thing public" said to
nyself, and proceeded to dress.
But I soon changed my mind. Ny un-
testimony would not be re-
'arded. Judge Pike was grave, dignifed
aan, past middle age, and he was greatly
expected by the miners. It would be folly
n my part TO tell any one OF my adj
enture.
The second day of the trial developed
trong case against Luff; as strong a case
s circumstantial evidence could make it.
q the meantime perfected q plan which
hoped would lead to surprising results.
NV roommate that night was DR. Hin